Are content owners serious about discouraging piracy?

Are content owners serious about discouraging piracy?

You have to wonder, are content owners truly serious about discouraging piracy of their content?

In 2016 Australia’s Federal Government passed legislation allowing content providers and license holders to apply to the courts to having illegal distribution sites (e.g. torrenting sites) blocked by ISPs. Foxtel, a longtime pay tv provider, began the process of applying to the courts to request a series of sites be blocked; several applications have been made since.

I have no problem with content providers wanting to make a buck from their efforts, no one wants to work for free after all, but what I do have a problem with is where they don’t allow us access to their content at all. I happen to enjoy the CW program The Originals, season 4 has already concluded but here in Australia you cannot access it anywhere. Foxtel channel Fox8 is its typical home, and prior seasons are also available on Netflix, but Foxtel doesn’t appear to have even showed this season, and doesn’t have access to prior seasons either.

I have purchased a number of season passes with Apple’s iTunes, and for many months now have been searching for the show in hopes it might finally turn up, given it is available within the United States iTunes store. This leads me to believe that the content owners are targeting, punishing Australia for content piracy which is hardly going to encourage a take up a legal means of access.

Maybe content owners need to look to the opportunity now occurring in Australia, we finally have inexpensive means of accessing content at a time when they can apply to block those torrenting sites. If they are serious about discouraging piracy, make the content available to the various services and give them a fighting chance.